Ingredients:
For the cakes:
- 110g unsalted butter, softened
- 110g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 125g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking power
- Cupcake cases
For the frosting:
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 500g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- black food colouring (optional)
- 500g black fondant icing
- (extra icing sugar to dust)
- a 5cm (2 inch) circle cookie cutter
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.
Line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases.
Using an electric whisk, beat the softened butter and caster sugar until it is fluffy and light. Add in the eggs, one at a time, also adding in the vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in the flour and baking power, and mix the batter until everything is well combined.
Add spoonfuls of the batter into the cupcake cases, filling each case until it is just over half way full (almost 3/4 of the way full). Put them in the preheated oven for 15 until they are golden brown. Leave the cupcakes to cool for around 30 minutes on a cooling rack.
For the frosting; use an electric whisk to beat the softened butter until it is smooth, this helps keep the frosting smooth and easier to whisk. Add in 1/4 of the icing sugar, and whisk with the electric beater until smooth. Continue adding in the icing sugar in quarters, and whisking until smooth (adding the icing sugar in gradually helps limit mess). Finally, mix in the vanilla extract, you can also add in a few drops of black food colouring if you wish to make the frosting a grey colour.
You can spread the frosting on the cupcakes using a spoon or you can pipe if you wish (how to pipe tutorial). Make sure the cupcakes have fully cooled before you add the frosting.
To make the fondant witches hats, roll out the black fondant on a surface dusted with icing sugar – you should also dust the rolling pin with icing sugar to make sure the fondant does not stick.
Use a 5cm circle cookie cutter, and cut circles out of the fondant (make the amount of circles the same as the amount of cupcakes).
Make small cone shapes with the rest of the fondant, by rolling one end between your fingers slowly. Gently adjust the tip of each cone so the hat looks like it has a bend to it (as seen in the pictures). Make enough of these cones so there is 1 for each cupcake.
Using a little bit of water, attach the fondant cones to the circles, so they look like witches hats.
Put each one of the fondant hats on top of the frosted cupcakes.
Enjoy!
Boom Bakes 